Originally Posted by
LilZeppelin
American explicitly
prohibits changing the FFN if you obtain any benefits (more of issue in coach bookings) and also disallows number change post flight:
(4) You cannot accrue partner airline miles with your partner frequent flyer number if you have already used your AAdvantage®
number to obtain any AAdvantage®
Rewards and Benefits such as First or Business Class upgrades, baggage fee waivers, priority boarding, access to Preferred seats or complimentary access to Preferred / Main Cabin Extra seats
(7) After your flight departs, you will not be able to change your selection of a frequent traveler program with respect to that flight.
In the past I used FFN status to access first class CX lounge at LHR and also BA LHR First lounge just by showing my status card when the ticket had a different FFN but not sure if that works in other lounges.
What I described is the idea of booking a ticket but not adding the frequent flyer number. You fly your segments and then submit individual flights for retroactive credit with the desired program(s). This is perfectly legal because you are not trying to double-dip in any way. My following statement, "
Obviously, the downside is that if there are benefits tied to having the program on the ticket, you may not be able to use those (eg, seat assignments)." refers to the idea that if you choose to withhold your FF# before flying (in order to claim retroactive credit afterwards), there may be a trade-off in doing so. For example, booking a BA business ticket still means you have to pay a seat assignment fee if your elite FF# is not on there. Make sense?
What you are describing is the following: (4) If someone puts their AA number on a revenue ticket to benefit from elite perks, then swaps to a different acct after such perks have been realized.
(7) someone cannot choose to credit a different program after traveling on the flight
Not sure what you thought I was saying, but this is a case of apples and oranges.